Gas-engine



4 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

J. Si KLEIN. GAS ENGINE. No. 568,115'.

Patented Sept. 22, 1896.`

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(No Model.) -4 Sheefs-Sheet '2.

J.` S. KLEIN..

l N. 568,115. Patented sept. 22, 1896 /NVENTOH Jam( idw( A'rroHA/E rs (No Model.)

\ GAS ENGINE.

Patented' Sept. 22,- 1896.

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SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 568,115, dated September 22, 1896.

Application tiled January 4, 1896. Serial No. 574,360. (No model.)

To a/ZZ whom it' 111/003./ concave.-

Be it known that I, JOHN S. KLEIN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Oil City,

in the county of Venango and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gas-Engines; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to gas-engines; and it consists in certain improvements in the construction thereof, as will be hereinafter fully described, and pointed out in the claims.

More particularly the invention relates to means of governing the speed and regulating the power of this class of engines.

The invention is illustrated in the acconr panying drawings as follows:

Figure l shows a vertical section through the center of the cylinder and auxiliary parts. Figs. 2, 3, and 4 show, respectively, the plan, side elevation, and end elevation of the engine. Fig. 5 shows a vertical section of an alternative construction. Fig. (3 shows a side elevation of said alternative construction. Fig. 7 shows a cross-section of the same construction.

A marks the frame or engine-bed; B, the cylinder; b, the usual water-jacket; C, the crank-shaft journaled in the box a; D, the

i lywheels on said crank-shaft; E, the pita stem i.

man 5 F, the crank to whichthe pitman is connected; G, the piston, with which the pitman is connected by means of the pin g, and H the igniter. All these parts are or may be of any common or desired construction.

In the construction shown in Figs. l, 2, 3, and 4 the exhaust is effected through a main exhaust-port I at forward end of the cylinder and an auxiliary exhaust I2 at the working end of the cylinder. Both these ports enter the exhaust-pipe I. The auxiliary port is provided with a valve i, which is carried by A spring i2 raises the valve 'L' when the pressure above is relieved.

The operation of the exhaust mechanism is as follows: When the piston passes the port I, the main exhaust takes place. This rclieves the pressure from the valve i'. The spring i2 then raises the valve z', and the exhaust continues during the back stroke of the jl and opens the valve.

piston through the auxiliary port. As the gas mixture is admitted under pressure its pressure closes the valve t', thus closing the` exhaust.

`The gas-port J is formed of a pipe connected with the supply-pipe J. rIhe port-pipe is finished on its outer surface and extends into the rear end of the cylinder. At the inner end of the port is a double valve j, the disks of which, working on oppositely-taced seats, are connected by the pin j', which plays through a spiderjz. A spring js, secured to the port-pipe, is attached to the rear end of the valve and tends to draw the front disk to its seat, but is not sufficiently strong to overcome the gas-pressure in the port-pipe when the cylinder-pressure is relieved. A projection jl extends from the front of the valve and is of such length that the piston will contact it on its back stroke and carry the valve to position with both disks off their seats. The operation of the device is as follows: Starting with the position shown in the drawings with the cylinder exhausting, the piston moves back into contact with the projection The pressure closes the exhaust-valve fi. As soon as the cylinderpressure approximates the port-pressure the In engines of this class as heretofore madevarious means have been employed to vary the speed or power of the engine. One way of accomplishing this result has been to vary the explosive power of the mixture either by cutting oit a part of the supply, (the consequent expansion of which changes its explosive quality.) Another method has been to vary the quality of the mixture admitted. It has also been accomplished by varying the capacity of the explosion-chamber with a fixed supply. By this means as the capacity of the chamber is increased the fixed quantity of the gas has less initial compression, and the exploded gas operating in a greater chamber exerts less pressure on the piston, so that the power is correspondingly decreased, but without any saving or diniinution ot the gas used. lthas also been accomplished by cutting oft the entire supply IOO all conditions of speed or load.

for one or more revolutions or, in other words, by missing an impulse. These methods have proved unsatisfactory principally because they are not economical where a variable speed or load is required, as the greatest economy is accomplished by the use of a predetermined mixture under uniform compression and with regular impulses.

My invention overcomes these defects in this class of engines by supplying` means of changing the capacity of the explosive-chamber at the moment of ignition and varying the quantity of gas admitted as the capacity of the chamber is varied. With this construction the mixture at the moment of explosion is of a uniform quality or strength, having a predetermined compression, under This may be accomplished in various ways, but I prefer the constructions shown in Figs. l, 2, 3, and 4, in which it is effected as follows: A movable cylinder-head K is placed in the rear end of the cylinder. This movable head iits movably but tightly on the port-pipe J and is extended by a sleeve K, which protrudes from the rear of the cylinder and is provided with screw-threads 7c. A screw-threaded nut is run onto the sleeve K'. This nut is journaled in the bracket B', extending from the rear of the cylinder. An annular shoulderl holds the nut against longitudinal movement in one direction, and the nut Z' and jam-nut Z2 complete the locking of the nut L against longitudinal movement.

The operation of the device will be readily understood. As the nut L is revolved the movable head K is moved by the screw in or out. Assuming the extreme inward stroke of the piston (the inner dead-point) to be approximately the line X, it will be readily seen that as the movable head K is moved toward this line the initial explosion-chamber is decreased, and as it is moved from this line it is increased. The mixture, of such quality and compression as has been ascertained to be most economical and effective, is admitted uniformly in this condition to the explosionchamber. The initial force exerted by the explosion is of course about the same with all positions of the movable head, the variation yof power being accomplished by the variation of the expansive force. Thus when the movable head is at a position the most remote from the line X and the explosion-chamber of maximum capacity the fall of the expansion-line will not be rapid and the mean effective press ure maximum, butif the movable head is at a position nearest the line X, so that the explosion-chamber is of minimum capacity, the fall of the expansion-line will be most rapid and the mean effective pressure minimum, and by moving the head to different positions any intermediate power may be obtained. It will readily be understood, however, that if the supply of mixture is not increased as the capacity of the explosionchamber is increased the power of the engine will be diminished as the capacity of the chamber is increased. It will also be understood that if the supply is varied as the capacity of the explosion-chamber t'. e., increased or diminished and in the same proportion, so that the uniform compression is maintained at the moment of ignition-the power of the engine will increase as the capacity of the explosion-chamber and supply of mixture are increased, and vice versa. It will also appear from this that the supply can be so regulated with relation to the various capacities of the explosion chamber as to maintain a fixed power-exerting force, that is, the supply may be sufficiently increased, as the capacity of the explosion-chamber is increased, to prevent a diminution of power and still be insufiicient to effect an increase in power. To obtain, therefore, the economic results flowing from my invention, the supply should be so increased as the capacity of the explosion-chamber is increased as to effect an increase in the power of the engine, and vice versa. I prefer, however, the construction shown, wherein the supply is s0 varied as the capacity of the explosion-chamber is varied that the compression of the explosive mixture at the moment of ignition is kept constant, and in which the compression of the explosive mixture at the moment of ignition approximates the compression at which it is admitted.

The regulation of the power of the engine may be accomplished automatically or arbitrarily by hand. In my preferred construe* tion I have shown an automatic governor for automatically regulating the speed, as follows: On the nut L is a worm-gear L', which is actuated by a worm M, keyed to the shaft m. The shaft m is journaled in the frame and has at its outer end a beveled frictionwheel M. The governor-spindle n, j ournaled in a frame O, carries two cone friction-wheels N N, which as the spindle is raised or lowered come into contact with bottom or top of the wheel M', so that one wheel N drives the worm M in one direction and the other in the opposite direction. The governor-weights P are carried by the levers 1J, and the springs P counteract the centrifugal force of the weights. The levers p are arranged to raise or lower the spindle n with each changed position of the weights. When the speed is normal, the spindle is held so that both wheels N are out of contact. The spindle n is driven through gears n' and n2 by the pulley n3, which is driven from the crank-shaft by a belt nl. The arrangement of the weights, springs, pulleys N and M', and the worm M is such that if the speed exceeds the normal the worm actuates the nut L to move the head K toward the line X, and vice versa, with the result heretofore described.

In the alternative construction shown in Figs. 5, G, and 7 the general result attained in the preferred construction is accomplished in a different way. In this construction the IOO IIO

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cylinder is provided with lugs B2, which arc carried by the guides A A on the frame, so as to slide freely therein. The change in the position of the head is accomplished by moving the entire cylinder. To facilitate this movement, the screw Q is provided, which runs in a screw-threaded lu g B3 on the bottom of the cylinder. The screw-shank Q is journaled in a cross-plate A2 of the frame and is locked against longitudinal movement by the collar q and the Worm-gear R, which is secured with a nut r. A worm S, carried by the shaft s, actuates the worm-gear and consequently the cylinder. A hand-wheel S is provided for operating the Worm in this instance, but it is plain a governor may be attached, if desired. The exhaust-port I terminates in a sleeve I, which runs through a stuffing-box I3 into the exhaustpipe- The exhaust-valve is is actuated by a cam T, which is carried by the shaft 1f and operated from the crankshaft bya system of gears, as shown by dotted line in Fig. 6. The supply-port passes through a gland b into the cylinder, thus allowing the movement of the cylinder. The other parts of the mechanism operate as in the preferred construction and the movement of the cylinder effects the same result on the regulation as the movement of the movable head in that construction.

I do not wish to be limited to the constructions herein shown, the essential feature of my invention being the means for providing a variable capacity of explosion-chamber at the moment of ignition with a variable supply. By the term gas-engine I wish to include all those engines which use the explosive principle in their operation.

I do not herein claim the method of utilizing the increased expansive force of increased quantities of explosive mixture to increase the power of the engine, and vice versa, as this is the substance of a separate application, filed April 28, 1896, Serial No. 589,432.

, What I claim as new isl. In a gas-engine, the combination with the cylinder; a means of exhaust; the piston; and the igniter; of means of varying the capacity of the explosion-chamber at the moment of ignition; and means of admitting explosive mixture to the explosion-chamber in quantities so varied as the capacity of the explosion-chamber varies as to increase the power of the engine as the capacity of the explosion-chamber is increased.

2. In a gas-engine, the combination with the cylinder; a means of exhaust; the piston; and the igniter; of means of varying the capacity of the explosion-chamber at the moment of ignition; and means of admitting explosive mixture to the explosion-chamber in quantities so varied as the capacity of the explosion-chamber varies as to maintain a substantially uniform compression at the moment of ignition.

3. In a gas-engine, the combination with the cylinder; a means of exhaust; the piston and the igniter; of means of varying the capacity of the explosion-chamber at the moment of ignition; and means of admitting explosive mixture to the explosionchamber under a compression approximating the compression at the moment of ignition and in quantities so varied as the capacity of the explosionfchamber varies as to increase the power of the engine as the capacity of the explosion-chamber is increased.

4. In a gas-engine, the combination with the cylinder; a means of exhaust; the piston; and the igniter; of means of varying the capacity of the explosion-chamber at the moment of ignition; and means of admitting explosive mixture to the explosion-chamber under a compression approximating the compression at the moment of ignition and in quantities so varied as the capacity of the explosion-chamber varies as to maintain a substantially uniform compression at the moment of ignition.

5. In a gasengine, the combination with the cylinder; a means of exhaust; the piston; and the igniter; of means of changing the relative parts to vary the capacity of the explosion-chamber atthe moment of ignition; and means of admitting explosive mixture to the explosion-chamber in quantities so varied as the capacity of the explosion-chamber 'varies as to increase the power of the engine as the capacity of the explosion-chamber is increased.

6. In a gas-engine, the combination with the cylinder; ameans of exhaust; the igniter; anda reciprocating piston; of means of vary'- IOG ing the capacity of the explosionichamber v with the piston at the inner dead-point; and means of admitting explosive mixture to the explosion-chamber in quantities so varied as the capacity of the explosion-chambervaries as to increase the power of the engine as the capacity of the explosion chamber is increased.

7 In a gas-engine, the combination with the cylinder; a means of exhaust; the igniter and a reciprocating piston; of means of varying the capacity of the explosion-chamber with the piston at the inner dead-point; and means of admitting explosive mixture-to the explosion-chamber in quantities so varied .as the capacity of the explosion-chamber varies as to maintain a substantially uniform compression atthe moment of ignition.

8. In a gas-engine,the combination with the cylinder; a means of exhaust; the igniter and a reciprocating piston; of means of varying the capacity of the explosion-chamber with the piston at the inner dead-point; and means of admitting explosive mixture to the explosion-chamber under a compression approximating the compression at the moment of ignition, and in quantities so varied as the ca- IIO pacity of the explosion-chamber varies as to increase the power of the engine as the capacity of the explosion-chamber is increased.

9. In a gas-en gine, the combination with the cylinder; a means of exhaust; the igniter and a reciprocating piston; of means of varying the capacity of the explosion-chamber with the piston at the inner dead-point; and means of admitting explosive mixture to the explosion-chamber under a compression approximating the compression at the moment of ignition and in quantities so varied as the capacity of the explosion-chamber varies as to maintain a substantially uniform compression at the moment of ignition.

10. In agas-engine, the combination of the cylinder; means of supplying gas thereto; a means of exhaust; the igniter; and apiston; of a cylinder-head movable relatively to the piston and through which is carried the gas supply.

11. In a gas-engine, the combination of the cylinder; means of supplying gas thereto; means of exhaust; the ignitcr; and a piston; of a cylinder-head movable relatively to the cylinder and the piston and through which is carried the gas supply.

12. In a gas-engine, the combination of the cylinder; the supply-port pipe J; the movable head K having the screw-threaded sleeve K thereon surrounding said port-pipe; the

nut L on said sleeve and locked against longitudinal movement; a means of exhaust; the igniter; and the piston.

13. In a gas-engine,tl1e combination with the cylinder; means of supplying gas thereto; a means of exhaust; the igniter; and the piston; of means actuated by an automatic governor for varying the capacity of the explosion-chamber at the moment of ignition.

14. In a gas-engine, the combination of the cylinder; means of supplying gas thereto; a means of exhaust; the igniter; and a reciprocating piston; of means actuated by an automatic governor for varying the capacity of the explosion-chamber with the piston at the dead-point.

15. In a gas-engine, the combination of the cylinder; means of supplying gas thereto; a means of exhaust; the igniter; and a piston; a cylinder-head movable relatively to the piston; a worm-gear for effecting said movement; a worm for actuating said gear; and a centrifugally-acting governor driven from the engine for operating said Worm.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN S. KLEIN. fitnessesz F. XV. HAvs, A. B. STEEN. 

